Tomorrow is the anniversary birthday of Imam Reza, the 8th Imam of the Infallible Household of Prophet Mohammad (S) Imam Ali al-Reza, son of Musa al-Kazem son of Ja'far al-Sadeq was born on the 11th of Zil-Qa'adeh, 148 A.H., five years after the martyrdom of his grandfather Imam al-Sadeq (As). Ali son of Musa (AS) was the scion of the Prophet (S) and the inheritor of Ahlul-Bait (household of Prophet Mohammad). His father, Musa son of Ja'far (AS) was the Imam of Muslims whose leadership (imamate) spanned a long period of Abbassid reign.

His mother was Taktum. When Taktum gave birth to Imam Reza (AS) Imam Kazem nick-named her Al-Taherah' (the chaste). Imam Reza (AS) lived in the care of his father. He imbibed from him his knowledge, morals and good manners. He was, thus, the most acknowledged scholar and the most qualified to be the leader and the guide of Muslims. He would later lead and feed the school of Ahlul-Bait (AS) with knowledge and religious sciences.

He lived with his father almost 35 years. Leadership (Imamate) Every imam made public the name of the Imam who would succeed him so that Muslims would know and follow him, ask him about what they did not know from the shari'ah (Islamic law) and Islamic sciences, and receive his guidelines and teachings. Imam Musa son of Ja'far (AS), accordingly, explained the position of his son Imam Reza (AS), emphasizing that he was the inheritor of his office, the trustee of his school and the Imam to whom Muslims should prefer after him.

His Asceticism and Simple Life: Asceticism is a behavioral and moral state based on good religious understanding, a divinely, sublime view of life and a careful religious evaluation of the worthiness of life, and its joys and pleasures. It is a way of living. Imam Ali son of Musa al-Reza, like all his forefathers, was the embodiment of this concept. Biographers say that Imam Reza used to sit on a mat in summer, and on a sackcloth in winter.

He was accustomed to wearing rough clothes, but when he went out to meet people he put on fine clothes. His Morals: Imam Ali son of Musa al-Reza (AS) shows us, through his good manners and morals, the greatness of Ahlul-Bait (AS), and reflects the unmatched characters of the principled imams who never knew any distinction between what they called for and what they embraced.Their actions preceded their words and mirrored their characters.

And Imam Reza (AS), as his contemporaries report, was the paradigm of truthfulness, patience, unpretentiousness, clemency and forgiveness. As for his behavior with the poor, the slaves, the servants, and the destitute, he was humane in the deepest sense of the word. He looked on them as his co-religionists, brothers in humanity. Piety was his standard for judging himself or other people.

The Imam (AS) emphasized the great humane and moral value of brotherhood and the preservation of man's rights and dignity. His Worship: Imam Reza (AS), the scion of Ahlul-Bait (AS) and the leader of Muslims, was the best worshipper of his time. Even his enemies acknowledged this fact and could not ignore this prominent trait of his. Distinct Scholar of the Prophet's Progeny: The legal scholars, jurisprudents, and the wise men of the Imam's time acknowledged his deep knowledge, particualrly about the Holy Book and its minutiae.

The jurisprudents, wise men, sufis, preachers, infidels, atheists, all testified to his abundant knowledge, the strength of his arguments, and his supremacy in all the arguments that were held between him and the foes of Islam. Knowledge and Schools of Thought in Imam Reza's Time Religious scholars and learned men found refuge in Imam Reza (AS), who argued with commentators, discussed with philosophy students and masters, refuted the claims and suspicions cast by the atheists and exagerators, issued guidelines to the legal jurists, and stated the basis of shari'ah and principles of monotheism.

He was in continuous movement, the axis of guidance, the center of illumination, and the source of originality and purity. March to Korasan Ma'moon the Abbasid caliph invited Imam Reza to Khorasan to talk with him about the way caliphate should be transferred to him. The Imam (AS) reluctantly accepted the invitation. Abul-Faraj al-Esfahani says: Ma'moon sent men after many members of the family of Abu-Talib, among them Ali son of Musa al-Reza.

They were brought to him from the city of Medina via the Basrah road. The route of the caravan was decided by Ma'moon. His men were instructed to keep a watchful eye on the caravan till its final destination. The caravan set off from Medina heading for Iraq via Basrah, Ahwaz, Faris (Shiraz) and then Marv. Imam Reza (AS) left Medina, stopped over in Mecca where he visited the Holy House of Allah, performed hajj' and bid the House farewell.

Across the desert he went on to Iraq, passing by the city of al-Qadisiyyah, about fifteen kilometers from Kufeh.Then the caravan headed for Basrah taking a route through the desert. Everywhere Imam Reza (AS) set foot, he was given a warm welcome. When he departed, the masses, headed by the scholars and transmitters of hadith, would see him off. Imam Reza (AS) continued his journey, heading for Marv, the capital of Ma'moon the Abbassid caliph's reign, across Faris. He arrived in Nishapoor. He continued on his journey and everywhere hearts clung to him, saw him off or went a long way with him.

In both Ahwaz and Nishapoor the Imam was received warmly, and was bid farewell respectfully. After his stop-over in Nishapoor, he continued his journey. The city was preparing itself to receive the honorable guest. At the head of those who were waiting for Imam Reza (AS) was Ma'moon, his entourage and senior officials. Post of Heir Apparent: The best, and probably the only possible way out of the political crisis besetting Ma'moon lay in persuading Imam Reza (AS) to accept the idea of being his successor.

By doing so Ma'moon thought, he could win over the opposition to his side and put both the Abbassids and Alawis under his control. Imam Reza (AS) agreed, under coercion, to accept the post so that he would not share the rulers' guilt over their misuse of power. Imam in turn set his conditions. It was a symbolic ceremony. Nothing real was to come out of it.

But it was enough for Ma'moon. He ordered the announcement of the great news throughout the Muslim homeland. On Thursday, Ma'moon sat in his palace and ordered his vizier(premier), Al-Fazl son of Sahl, to announce to the people Ma'moon's decree to make Imam Reza his successor, and to show his opinion of the Imam he conferred on him the nickname Al-Reza" (satisfaction).

He also informed people that Ma'moon had decided to replace the Abbassid emblem, the dark color and dark cloth, with the green color and green cloth of Ahlul-Bait. The Imam's Martyrdom History tells us that Ma'moon put poison into some fruit (grapes or pomegranates) which was presented to Imam Reza (AS), although some historians say that the Imam was not poisoned but simply died a natural death.

But it is widely believed that Ma'moon killed the Imam. This view goes along with Ma'moon's mood and the set-up of his mind. The war he launched against his brother, and his key military commanders, the prolonged, fierce struggle between Ahlul-Bait (AS) and the Abbassids, and the emergence of the Imam as a strong, intellectual and political personality with incomparable ability, make us lean to the belief that it was a premediated plan to get rid of the Imam. Today the shrine of the Imam is an edifice frequented by millions of people, who crowd around the pure tomb.

The city which boasts of the Imam's shrine, has expanded and prospered. Its modern name, Mashhad' stands today as one of the most beautiful cities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is located in the north east of Iran near its borders with the Turkmenistan Republic. It has a hawzah (theological college) and some theological schools.